Painting (Acyrlics, Oils), and mixed media

Nicholascardell@gmail.com

Nicholas Cardell Gore is a self-taught contemporary mixed media artist raised and living in Erie, Pa. After honorably serving in the US Navy for 12 years, he attended the Art Institute of Virginia Beach, majoring in Fashion Marketing and Retail Management. He rediscovered his passion for painting in 2020 and has dedicated to the craft ever since. In 2023, Nicholas’ art was recently featured in Erie at The 1020 Collective and the HICAAE, respectively. His work was also showcased in Chicago, IL at Union Street Gallery’s Spring Invitational, and he was commissioned by the Jesse White Community Center to honor Illinois’ outgoing Secretary of State Jesse White in his retirement from political office in December 2022.

My artwork is the expression of my imagination and experiences as a Black man in America who's also had the opportunity and privilege to travel the world. My focus is to create language and imagery against those whose ideas and policies seek to misrepresent and suppress the Black experience, as it’s become increasingly difficult for our story to be told both fully and truthfully in today’s climate. It’s my mission to pay tribute to the depth, vibrancy and history of Black culture.

The context of my work is the celebration of the memories and shared experiences as they are often expressed through language, rituals, and traditions of Black culture. The imagery is presented through reflecting on the joy and trauma of my childhood, my military service, and interpreting emotions such as love, pain and pride. My approach to art is traditional painting, though recently I’ve incorporated fabrics and various textiles to add a more depth message to engage the viewer.